DM Days Adds Four Special Focus Workshops to Show

The most prominent new feature at this year's DM Days New York Conference & Expo is the inclusion of special-focus workshops in four categories important to marketers. The show begins tomorrow and runs through Thursday at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center following today's lead-in event by the DMA International Council.

These hands-on workshops will be led by marketers who will offer case studies and best practices. Companies participating include AlloyRed, ePrize, Riverside Marketing Strategies, Prospectiv Direct, Redcats USA, Advertising.com, Claria, Homestore, Nextag, Overture, KnowledgeBase Marketing, Avon, Geek Factory, Ingenio, Zappos and Seamless Web. The workshops take place on the first day of the conference with sessions from 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and from 1:40 to 3:35 p.m.

While this week's DM Days is the third under the Direct Marketing Association's ownership, it is the first since John A. Greco Jr. took over as the DMA's president/CEO. And though it is the 40th annual DM Days show, the DMA is not promoting it as such.

A decision was made under Greco's leadership to shift from emphasizing how many years a show has run and toward focusing on the current year.

"By listing the year rather than the number of years we've been presenting the show, we're more clearly sending the message that the value for attendees lies in the DMA's unique ability to deliver the most timely and cutting-edge programming," DMA spokeswoman Laura Colona said. "DM Days' program content is the latest and most up to date. The name change reinforces the fact that we're presenting topics that are at the forefront of 21st-century marketing."

The show again will feature "Ask the Experts" roundtables, held from 11:20 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. June 28 in the exhibit hall to be followed by lunch on the show floor.

Keynote speakers include Greco; former Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans; Mackay Envelope Co. chairman Harvey Mackay; Postmaster General John E. Potter; and Jane Buckingham, president of The Intelligence Group/Youth Intelligence.

JetBlue Airways chairman/CEO David Neeleman will be honored as the DM Days New York Conference & Expo 2005 Marketer of the Year. The award will be given at a luncheon in his honor June 29.

As of June 14, 253 companies were signed up to exhibit, and the number was still growing, according to the DMA. The total likely will surpass last year's 254 exhibitors.

Exhibit hall hours are June 28 and 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with receptions starting at 3:45 p.m. each day, and June 30 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a closing reception at 2:05 p.m.

In terms of special interest council events, the DMA International Council today hosts an International Day 2005 program preceding the conference at the Harvard Club.

The daylong event features roundtables, case studies and networking opportunities. Greco gave the keynote address this morning, and the council will give its inaugural International Marketer of the Year Award to Walt Terry, senior manager, international new business circulation at the National Geographic Society. The award was created to recognize significant contributions by an individual to the direct marketing process in the international market.

The DMA's Agency Council holds a breakfast June 28 on the topic of working with the trade press, featuring DM News editor in chief Tad Clarke and Target Marketing magazine and Inside Direct Mail newsletter editor in chief Hallie Mummert.

Other special interest council events include open council meetings and a joint networking reception June 29 after the conference at The Irish Rogue at 356 W. 44 St.

One feature not returning to this year's conference is DM University, which began in 2003 as a three-day seminar for junior-level direct marketers. Also absent will be a pavilion of any sort. Last year, the DMA added the direct response broadcast pavilion that was debuted at the previous year's DMA Annual Conference to DM Days but will not do so this year.

Next year's DM Days conference is scheduled for June 20-22 at the Javits Center.

Kristen Bremner covers list news, insert media, privacy and fundraising for DM News and DMNews.com. To keep up with the latest developments in these areas, subscribe to our daily and weekly e-mail newsletters by visiting www.dmnews.com/newsletters

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